This image is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]
This image is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]

A worker has shared a story of losing more than 300 million won ($224,000) in the stock market after investing 540 million won in wedding savings accumulated over 13 years without a single overseas trip.

On Saturday, a post titled "Minus 60% — 300 million won loss in stocks" appeared on Blind, an anonymous community platform for office workers. The author, identified only as A, shared a screenshot of their brokerage account balance and described how the investment losses had upended their daily life.

The screenshot showed a total account balance of approximately 212.05 million won.

The purchase price of stocks and other investment products stood at roughly 539.7 million won, while the current valuation had fallen to about 211.41 million won — a paper loss of 328.29 million won and a return of negative 60.83 percent. A had lost more than half of the original principal.

"I put it in at the start of this year as wedding money, planning step by step for the wedding, a home and eventually a baby," A wrote. "This is everything I saved over 13 years without help from anyone."

"I worked night shifts, never went on an overseas trip, never bought the designer bags everyone else has — and watching that 540 million won evaporate into thin air is devastating," A said. "My wedding is planned for the first half of next year, and everything is now uncertain. I've already given up on buying a home."

A added that of the remaining 210 million won, 30 million won was locked in a personal pension account, leaving an effective balance of 180 million won. "I still have the wedding to pay for, my parents' living expenses and an overdraft of 38 million won," A wrote.

[Captured from Blind]
[Captured from Blind]

A also revealed having recently forfeited a real estate deposit.

"Yesterday was the day I was supposed to sign the real estate contract, but I couldn't bring myself to sell the stocks at a loss, so I let the deposit go," A wrote. "I wake up in the morning and millions of won have vanished. I want to pull out now but I can't. People say hold on and it will recover, but with losses this deep, I don't think I'll ever get back to where I was."

A also expressed severe psychological distress, writing that the experience made them not want to be alive every single day.

In a comment, A revealed that the portfolio's valuation had at one point exceeded 860 million won.

The savings built over 13 years had grown to more than 800 million won at their peak, only to fall back to around 200 million won — a drop of as much as 600 million won from the highest recorded valuation.

Meanwhile, the domestic stock market has fallen sharply from its recent peak.

According to Korea Exchange, the Kospi hit an all-time closing high of 9,114.55 on June 22, but has since declined, sliding to 5,730.74 on Friday — a drop of roughly 37.1 percent from the record high.

If you're thinking about self-harm or suicide, dial the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 109, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please request a translator for English-language services.


yeonjoo7@heraldcorp.com